Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-11-24

| that no does. A1cs uOOs TVS A
partners. The next night this intern
perate man not only goes again to the
saloon, but he persuades several OF the
hired workmen. or of the other part
ners, to 60 with him. His influence
now produces an additional loss in the
depreciation of the labor of all whom
he led astray. He is disloyal to his
partners, and as dishonest as it no
stole from the cash-box of the concern.
Society. regarded as a human institu-
ton, is such partnership. Every
| man and woman who lives in a civilized
community is better off an hundred fold
than if he or she lived lonely savage
in the wilderness. But all civilization
is based upon character and co-operar
ton. If the people in any given local
ity are all liars and thieves there can
be no social order or intercourse. II
they are all so intensely selfish that
each shuts himself up in his own home
and refuses to cooperate with his
neighbors the result is equally fatal.
An aggregation of people in the same
locality does not make community.
They must be &good people, and they
must take an interest in each other. 1t
is an implied condition in the welcom-
ing of a man into neighborhood that
he will not only be peaceable and not
disturb the harmony that prevails. but
that he will be helpful and try to inn
prove the neighborhood. These are
the teachings of common sense in re-
gard to morality in social life.
But society is not human institu-
ton. 1t is a Divine arrangement for
promoting the safety. happiness and
development of the race. Society is
family rather than partnership. 1t is
a brotherhood whose head is 'Our
Father in Heaven" God has placed
each of us in this brotherhood, not for
our own interest merely. as an orphan
is placed in an asylum. or an invalid in
a hospital. but for the good of all. And
therefore He has announced as the law
for the family-as the code of morals
for the brotherhood: "Thou shalt love
the Lord thy God with all thy heart.
and thy neighbor as myself" To obey
this law and thus be moral, virtuous,
we must seek and secure the highest
development of our faculties. We must
make the most that we can of ourselves,
that we may be as efficient as possible
in promoting the good of our fellow.
men and the glory of God. And thus
we see that true morality is nothing
loss or other than true religion. Re.
ligion requires US to sustain such vital
activities as we are tempted to push
to excess. or as would conflict with the !
average welfare. Religion requires us
to carry our vital activities up to their
normal limits. And religion enables
us to do what it requires us to do. 1t
does not stand aloof like philosophy
and indicate the way, as soulleSs as
guide-board. 1t comes to us a helper
rs well rs law-giver. 1t extends to
us the hand of a father. 1t says: My
child, this is the way. will lead you
in it. Twill keep you from stumbling.
Trust in me and will be strength in
your weakness. Believe in me and my |
grace will be sufficient for you. Men
may dream and theorize about a per-
feet state of society. They may tell us
what each man should do IN order that
all may be prosperous and happy. But
only the religion of Jesus Christ can
make their dreams a waking reality.
There is no power other than that of
the truth and the spirit of God that can
make all the deserts of the earth rejoice
and blossom as 4 rose.-Intcrior.